If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

uggh, no, heyward was hitting .214 before going down with an injury, which is clearly not better than most people, so either chipper was wrong or heyward was much lower than 80%. no sense ruining what will hopefully be the new face of the franchise by sending him out there hurt so he can crush balls into the dirt in front of him.

i do agree with you on pitching. Venters is the best reliever in baseball right now, what fredi needs to realize is that we don’t need a defined closer role. use venters in the most high leverage situations late in the game. use kimbrel in similar situations when venters is tired, already been used, etc. EOF for mid innings. proctor, sherill, linebrink when we have a large lead/against the bottom of the opponents order. also JJ for cy young

personally i think we should deal d-lowe. his stock is the highest it’s been in years and with all of the pitching in our farm system why not deal him for some hitting, there are plenty of clubs looking for a solid starter that would give up something for lowe.

Heyward WAS obviously below 80%. The issue wasn’t that he had to go on the DL. It’s the fact that after he came OFF the DL and was told he was able to play again, he said he wouldn’t until there was no more pain. That was the issue that Chip and I both have with him. Kind of a bitch move to me.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

uggh, no, heyward was hitting .214 before going down with an injury, which is clearly not better than most people, so either chipper was wrong or heyward was much lower than 80%. no sense ruining what will hopefully be the new face of the franchise by sending him out there hurt so he can crush balls into the dirt in front of him.

i do agree with you on pitching. Venters is the best reliever in baseball right now, what fredi needs to realize is that we don’t need a defined closer role. use venters in the most high leverage situations late in the game. use kimbrel in similar situations when venters is tired, already been used, etc. EOF for mid innings. proctor, sherill, linebrink when we have a large lead/against the bottom of the opponents order. also JJ for cy young

personally i think we should deal d-lowe. his stock is the highest it’s been in years and with all of the pitching in our farm system why not deal him for some hitting, there are plenty of clubs looking for a solid starter that would give up something for lowe.

I love how this turned from a baseball discussion to a Braves discussion. To bring up a few things about Schaffer, don’t get me wrong I think he can be great, is he seems to be a little injury prone like J Hey and they say he is a punk when it comes to his attitude. But I do trust him a lot more than Nate. I feel our bullpen is great how it is don’t touch it if they make any moves it needs to bring another bat that can play different positions and pinch hit. Hinske has been great but with our shady outfield a lot of times he is in the line up. I really wish there would be a way to make a trade to get Infante back. He was great played wherever needed and got on the bags.

NL West – San Fran (Weak divison but stil the best team in the west)
NL Central – Brewers (Tough one to call, but with Puljos out for the near future this may be a two horse race between the Brewers and Reds)
NL East — Philadelphia (Best record in baseball as of Friday June 24th, lacking a right handed bat, but Hamles, Lee, and Halladay give this team a chance to win every time they take the hill)
NL WildCard – Braves (Uggla will start hitting, just need to stay healthy)

AL West – Rangers (Again tough call, but I think they are the best team out there)
AL Central – Detriot (This divison is a mess, I don’t think the tribe can stay in front all year, but who the hell knows)
AL East – Red Sox (Best team in baseball? If they can stay healthy, but pitching could become an issue)
AL Wildcard – Yankees (Just like the Phillies and the Braves, the two best teams in the AL will come from the same divison)

In Short I’m seeing a Braves Red Sox Series (Sorry Phillies, where are the bats in October?) With the Sox winning in Six.

I may be from Oregon, but I was born and raised a Braves fan. My granddad went to a Boston Braves game before he got shipped out in WWII, and he never missed a game once he got back. I remember him picking my brother, two cousins and I up on Sunday mornings to go do some work on my grandparents’ property, then we’d sit down, eat lunch, and watch the Braves game. Some of the best times of my life (RIP Granddad).
I honestly think that they have a shot this year, provided some of the bats start coming alive and Lowe and Hudson can find some consistency. Go Braves

Phillies. I grew up watching really shitty phils teams so its nice to finally be good for the past few years. Not only is Chase Utley FaF but he’s on a tear. The Braves may have the lowest ERA but their still 5 back in the division and Cliff Lee is finally turning it on and we have Utley back. Braves have a solid squad but I don’t think they can make a deep run this year.

The Cincinnati Reds are older than the America League, which, mind you, is filled with pampered bitches (Fuck the DH), they had Pete ‘Yea I got a bookie’ Rose and currently have Ardonis Chapman, who said ‘Fuck you communism’ and defected from Cuba, where he left literally his entire family… and for those of you who question the fratadability of the RedLegs, their stadium is literally a Par 5 from the Kentucky shoreline, so they arent really that Northern/Midwestern/rust-belt.

AL East: Boston- The Yankees and Sox are both loaded, as always, but the Yankees pitching is so shallow. Injuries to the rotation or key relievers can and probably will cost them wins at some point.
AL Central: Detroit- Cleveland will not keep this up. They are, at best, this year’s San Diego Padres. The team that came out of nowhere but can’t hold on down the stretch. Detroit has enough talent to outlast the Indians.
AL West: Seattle- This is a risky prediction, but I love that rotation. Hernandez, Pineda, Bedard, Vargas, Fister is the best rotation in that division. The offense needs to pick it up (because they’re fucking awful) but currently the Mariners are will within striking distance.
AL Wild Card: New York- I wanted to pick Tampa Bay, who are only a game behind NY right now, but the Yankees are loaded, and the Rays are riding (or have ridden) the current or once hot bats of Matt Joyce, Sam Fuld, Casey Kotchman, and Johnny Damon…yeah…

NL East: Atlanta- Biased, to be sure, as I’m a Braves fan, but no amount of bias can understate how deep the pitching on this team is. My problem with the Yankees is the same problem I have with Philly. With the possibility of getting Moylan and Medlen into the pen later on, and the possible turn around of key sluggers, the Braves are a dangerous team that can easily make amends for their few flaws. Unless Fredi effs it up and kills the bullpen arms.
NL Central: Milwaukee- Here’s hoping it’s Pittsburgh, just because, but in lieu of a (not terribly far fetched) miracle, I like the Brewers. Great 1-2-3 punch in the rotation, several elite hitters, good closer, weak division. They have the most talent on the field (see what I did there) right now.
NL West: Arizona- They’re getting interesting contributions in the rotation and have a good lineup. San Francisco lost Buster Posey, Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross, and Andres Torres are playing more like the real Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross, and Andres Torres.
NL Wild Card: Philadelphia- I don’t really care if they win the division or the wild card, but these guys are obviously making the playoffs.

Playoffs

ALDS- Boston v. Seattle- (Boston in 4)- Pineda steals a game but Beckett wins two against King Felix
ALDS- Detroit v. New York- (Detroit in 5)- Aside from Verlander v. Sabathia this series is a slugfest.

NLDS- Altanta v. Milwaukee (Atlanta in 5)- Some serious pitching matchups in this series. Atlanta’s bullpen talent and depth is the difference in this series.
NLDS- Arizona v. Philadelphia- (Philly in 3)- Not even close.

ALCS- Boston v. Detroit (Boston in 6)- Josh Beckett wins two more games this series, it’s a very close 6.
NLCS- Atlanta v. Philly (Atlanta in 7)- More ridiculous pitching matchups but the difference is that Atlanta will have four good starters to trot out, Philly only three. Eventually that catches up to the Phils and a weak (albeit currently over performing) bullpen is exposed. Wouldn’t be surprised if Philly got out to an early 2-0, 2-1 lead, maybe even a 3-2.

World Series: Boston v. Atlanta- (Atlanta in 6) I have no idea who has home field (have to wait for the All-Star game…so gay) but Boston is another pitching staff lacking serious depth. Atlanta is able to mostly keep Boston’s absurd offense at bay.

My logic for picking Atlanta (other than being an optimistic fan) is that they seem like a better version of last year’s SF Giants. The offense IS a problem, and Heyward and Uggla HAVE to turn it up for the Braves to make a serious run (or at least show up in a series or two in October). But Brian McCann is a monster in the playoffs, and a line up that will actually have Chipper and Prado this year is a for more potent one than the garbage ATL was forced to pencil in last October.

It all depends on the bullpen really. The Braves currently have the best bullpen, and best bullpen talent, in baseball. Unfortunately that talent (Venters in particular) is being overworked. Their arms HAVE to be fresh in order for a run to be possible. If Medlen and Moylan can come back and be effective then ATL has two more great relievers and hopefully pitchers Fredi has enough confidence in to finally give OVentebrel a break now and then.

Just for those who can’t detect sarcasm, I know the Braves have had a rough couple of 16 years. And with the Phillies and Cardinals in our league, it’ll obviously be difficult to make it to the World Series because we choke every postseason. But win or lose, I’m a diehard fan. I believe every year they have a legitimate chance of winning the playoffs, but every year they find a new way to disappoint. Go Bravos

Detroit all day. Just moved into first place and don’t plan on looking back. Verlander is top 5 in the league and is getting hot, offense all over the batting order, including Miguel “Do you know who the fuck I am?” Cabrera. With Minnesota and Shitcago at the bottom and KC being average, I like our chances with a Cleveland/Detroit race for the AL Central title. I think another trip to the World Series is in order.

Cleveland Indians. They have lost 9 of their last 10 but once they get Hafner back they are gonna run away with that division. One good starting pitcher doesn’t make a staff, and Miguel should have called a Cab-rera is a little past his prime. This city has the most loyal fans in sports despite their struggles and heartbreak seasons, theres no such thing as a “2nd favorite team” here and we deserve to get ours this season with the Tribe.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

Detroit all day. Just moved into first place and don’t plan on looking back. Verlander is top 5 in the league and is getting hot, offense all over the batting order, including Miguel “Do you know who the fuck I am?” Cabrera. With Minnesota and Shitcago at the bottom and KC being average, I like our chances with a Cleveland/Detroit race for the AL Central title. I think another trip to the World Series is in order.

Cleveland Indians. They have lost 9 of their last 10 but once they get Hafner back they are gonna run away with that division. One good starting pitcher doesn’t make a staff, and Miguel should have called a Cab-rera is a little past his prime. This city has the most loyal fans in sports despite their struggles and heartbreak seasons, theres no such thing as a “2nd favorite team” here and we deserve to get ours this season with the Tribe.

Cleveland, huh? You’re delusional. Hafner’s not the answer, and Miguel Cabrera has a lot of great years ahead of him, provided he takes your advice and starts calling a cab. That’s Detroit’s division to lose, even if Cleveland is currently leading. Cleveland is not going to make the playoffs. They’re over-achieving now, and this 1-9 stretch is proof that the team is on it’s way back down to Earth.

The Braves are my team, and ^Chipper and McCann are two of my favorite all-time players. Without a consistent offense, we’re not going to win the division, much less the wild card if things remain as they are now. The NL Central is too loaded for that to happen.

We need to make another trade. We’re still missing a bat in the outfield, and Nate McOut … I mean, Nate McLouth is never going to fill that hole as well as our front office hoped. Granted, injuries to a few key players and Uggla’s dismal showing in the first half might not be season-long problems. Still, this lineup is missing one more solid bat even with Chipper, McCann, Heyward, Uggla and Prado in top form.

*Speaking of the NL Central, if there’s one team I hate, it’s the Milwaukee Brewers. I hate them for one reason: Prince Fielder. He’s a fat, shit-talking a cry-baby who’s unfortunately good at what he does. He’s like Milton Bradley, except with more talent. Ryan “Hebrew Hammer” Braun, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart — those are all great players, and certainly don’t mind watching them. It’s just having to see Prince Fielder that makes me want to vomit.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

Well said, that has been our problem is leaving all these men on base and not hitting a ball when it fucking counts. It’s been an issue for awhile, proved me wrong well done.

With all that being said I do agree with Dave that we have a solid bullpen, but we should try to trade for another reliever. George Sherrill and Scott Linebrink have not lived up to the hype they generated once they were signed this offseason. I say we trade McLouth for a middle reliever. While you may think I am crazy just bear with me on this one. We have Jordan Schafer who is living up to the billing he got 3 years ago as the Braves #1 prospect. He’s not a big power hitter who’s going to smack 30+ homers every year but he gets on, plays smart baseball and steals bases. Yes, he steals bases, something the Braves are almost dead last in every season. While he might not play as good as defense as McLouth, his bat has been more efficient and he has proven that he plays hard. We probably won’t get much from McLouth, so a middle reliever would be the best option for us to go after. While yes, O’Flaherty, Kimbrel and Venters are as good as you can get in MLB, you can’t expect them to pitch every game, and then to help lead us in the postseason. We need another reliever to pitch the 7th or 8th if either of those guys are gassed. Martinez, Proctor(who shouldn’t even be in the big leagues but is because of a clause in his contract) Sherill, Linebrink and Gearrin are good relievers, they have shown they can be wildly inconsistent this season. We need one more person whose capable of pitching the 7th inning or later in a tight game because like I said, you can’t rely on the O’VentBrel trio to pitch in every game and not wear their arms out by the time October rolls around.

Secondly, yes Heyward is being a pussy and not coming back from his injury sooner, which until the Houston series, seemed like was a really poor decision due to the lack of our offensive struggles, you have to acknowledge his maturity. Remember last season when he had a red hot April and everyone assumed he was a lock for the NL ROY, and then May rolled around and he went into a Dan Uggla-like slump and no one could figure out why, until he disclosed that he had been trying to play through a thumb injury? While, yes I do agree with Chipper that in the big leagues, and in every sport out there, you will have to play injured at some point (Just ask Cal Ripken) I also admire the fact that Heyward was thinking of last year and wanted to return later so he didn’t end up making the same mistake and hurting the team again.

Lastly, if our bullpen stays hot, Dan Uggla returns to his Miami form, Heyward comes back, Chipper and Mac continue their tears, and Hudson and Lowe regain their consistency they had in 2010, we should win the NL this year.

Fuck the Phillies. They may have a great rotation but we have the better all around lineup and bullpen

‘Stros have let me down since ’06 and it appears there be no end of it in sight. Hell, we might be playing puss-boy AL ball in the near future with realignment. Until the next reincarnation of The Rocket, Craig Biggio, and Jeff Bagwell all fall into the lap of Houston, Atlanta Braves it is. Win one more for Bobby, Chipper.

Although pretty much everyone has written them off even after a hot start, I really think my Indians will make the playoffs. We have remained in first despite our best player (Choo) playing like shit. And with Chisenhall, Pomeranz (Ole Miss-FaF), and Al White waiting in the wings it looks like baseball is back in Cleveland

Even though I’m not a huge fan of them, I think the Brewers could make a serious run in October this year. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are hitting the cover off the ball and they seem to have a solid rotation with Greinke and Marcum. If they’re bullpen can remain consistent they will be a legitimate threat in October.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

Well said, that has been our problem is leaving all these men on base and not hitting a ball when it fucking counts. It’s been an issue for awhile, proved me wrong well done.

As a born and raised Atlanta Braves fan, I would love to see the Braves still playing when October rolls around. I think its pretty realistic that they could do damage when they get into the playoffs due to their bullpen depth, but i think they need to add one more big bat in the middle of the order. For all of you that are saying Heyward is being a diva/bitch about his injuries look at it this way, Heyward has already been injured twice in his first two years. I think hes concerned with coming back and reinjuring his shoulder and possibly making it a lot worse than it already is. He’s only trying to extend his career. I think a Braves vs. Rangers series would be great for the game though. But, if i had to predict the World Series champion right now I would have to say the Red Sox over the Cardinals. Also, fuck the Phillies, Mets, Yankees, and the thugs that call themselves Dodgers fans.

Finally a baseball thread. Don’t get me wrong, I love college football and tailgating as much as the next guy, but nothing compares to our national pastime.

The Braves have always been my team but we need some serious help this year if we want to contend for a championship. We first of all need Dan Uggla to return to his Miami form (He is currently hitting a lowly .176 with 7 homers and only 16 RBIs to go along with a pathetic .245 OBP) Secondly, we need Hudson and Lowe to be more consistent. Hudson needs to go back to his 2010 form and Derek needs to regain the confidence he had in last year’s playoffs. Lastly we need Heyward healthy. He has all the tools needed to be a superstar but he has struggled with injury in both of his major league seasons. Chipper was right when he said Jason at 80% is still a force.

Yankees… I was born and raised in the south and have been a fan since I was 5 years old when I went to my first game, so try and keep the “geed” and “northerner” insults to a minimum. Fratlanta Falcons, they may be the frattiest behind the Texas Rangers, but to call them the “best” could not be farther from the truth.

Yankees… I was born and raised in the south and have been a fan since I was 5 years old when I went to my first game, so try and keep the “geed” and “northerner” insults to a minimum. Fratlanta Falcons, they may be the frattiest behind the Texas Rangers, but to call them the “best” could not be farther from the truth.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

Well said, that has been our problem is leaving all these men on base and not hitting a ball when it fucking counts. It’s been an issue for awhile, proved me wrong well done.

With all that being said I do agree with Dave that we have a solid bullpen, but we should try to trade for another reliever. George Sherrill and Scott Linebrink have not lived up to the hype they generated once they were signed this offseason. I say we trade McLouth for a middle reliever. While you may think I am crazy just bear with me on this one. We have Jordan Schafer who is living up to the billing he got 3 years ago as the Braves #1 prospect. He’s not a big power hitter who’s going to smack 30+ homers every year but he gets on, plays smart baseball and steals bases. Yes, he steals bases, something the Braves are almost dead last in every season. While he might not play as good as defense as McLouth, his bat has been more efficient and he has proven that he plays hard. We probably won’t get much from McLouth, so a middle reliever would be the best option for us to go after. While yes, O’Flaherty, Kimbrel and Venters are as good as you can get in MLB, you can’t expect them to pitch every game, and then to help lead us in the postseason. We need another reliever to pitch the 7th or 8th if either of those guys are gassed. Martinez, Proctor(who shouldn’t even be in the big leagues but is because of a clause in his contract) Sherill, Linebrink and Gearrin are good relievers, they have shown they can be wildly inconsistent this season. We need one more person whose capable of pitching the 7th inning or later in a tight game because like I said, you can’t rely on the O’VentBrel trio to pitch in every game and not wear their arms out by the time October rolls around.

Secondly, yes Heyward is being a pussy and not coming back from his injury sooner, which until the Houston series, seemed like was a really poor decision due to the lack of our offensive struggles, you have to acknowledge his maturity. Remember last season when he had a red hot April and everyone assumed he was a lock for the NL ROY, and then May rolled around and he went into a Dan Uggla-like slump and no one could figure out why, until he disclosed that he had been trying to play through a thumb injury? While, yes I do agree with Chipper that in the big leagues, and in every sport out there, you will have to play injured at some point (Just ask Cal Ripken) I also admire the fact that Heyward was thinking of last year and wanted to return later so he didn’t end up making the same mistake and hurting the team again.

Lastly, if our bullpen stays hot, Dan Uggla returns to his Miami form, Heyward comes back, Chipper and Mac continue their tears, and Hudson and Lowe regain their consistency they had in 2010, we should win the NL this year.

Fuck the Phillies. They may have a great rotation but we have the better all around lineup and bullpen

I agree wholeheartedly. The only thing about trading McLouth is we tend to not get rid of people when they have to go down due to injury. Schaffer is obviously the better bat, and I would argue he’s doing as well as McLouth in the outfield. Another reliever is needed though, cause I sort of forget how inconsistent the rest of the bullpen is, since we almost never see them, as close as our games are. I think the need for another strong reliever was shown last night. Also, we need to find a strong Utility Infielder to come in when people like Gonzales and Chipper need a night off. Hicks just ain’t cutting it, and God knows Conrad doesn’t need to put a glove on.

I agree about the utility infielder part. The only bright spot for us off the bench has been Diory Hernandez but thats about it. The Braves seem to make a mid-season trade every year, so we’ll just have to see how this plays out. I just hope its not another Ryan Church/Jeff Francouer trade…..

Braves without a doubt my favorite. Were in a constructive season right now, and I don’t feel we are consistent enough for a pennant. Agreed Heyward needs to stop being a pussy. Agreed we could use a good trade for another Prado/Infante player. But I disagree with the bullpen, the more innings O’Ventbrel sees the better their going to get. Its great having someone else to go too, but its not necessary if Old Balls Hudson/Lowe step up like Jurrjens has been. And I don’t know about you all but I can’t stand McLouth, he is the limpist dick on the team, and hyped himself up too much over spring training. Uggla will get his game back, he’s just pullin a Granderson season, that is fucking up his first season with a new franchise, he’ll settle in though.

The way the Red Sox are playing right now, they look pretty damn good. 60 runs in 10 games, compared to 18 runs allowed. Right now, they look like the best team in the MLB, but the Cardinals and Yankees could do damage too.

Yankees… I was born and raised in the south and have been a fan since I was 5 years old when I went to my first game, so try and keep the “geed” and “northerner” insults to a minimum. Fratlanta Falcons, they may be the frattiest behind the Texas Rangers, but to call them the “best” could not be farther from the truth.

Schaffer plays better defense the McOut. Cant wait for Heyward to come back. I love Mac as much as the next but i wish he would get a couple more games off than he does. It seems like whenever Ross is playing for Mac he does well. I wish Venters would close because hes lights out but hes more effective in what i would deem high leverage situations.

Im liking Freemans performance this year his defense has been excellent. I think he will develop into a 15-25 Hr per year kind of hitter.

honestly, the WS is the phillies to lose this year; amazing rotation even with cliff lee struggling. However, the st. louis cardinals and red sox have the talent to win as well this year.

As for the NL Central – the cardinals are by far my favorite to win this year. the brewers go on epic winning streaks (right now) followed by equally epic losing streaks. They are not consistent and their pitching won’t make it through the post season. In a perfect world, the brewers and the reds would be fighting for the wild-card with st. louis a solid 5 games in first. However, the cards haven’t seem to be hitting at all without holliday, even with the recent pujols surge. Our pitching (cardinals) has also been fucking awful in the last 10 games. As for the reds? I fucking hate them. I don’t’ even hate BP as much after i read a story about him going to a kid’s ballgame just for shits. In fact, i think baseball needs more shit talkers to make things interesting. BP will remain the fucking devil in STL, though, and cueto will never ever come to st. louis if he’s smart. but that doesn’t even matter for now. The reds will fall into oblivion by all-star break.

It’s sad how some people are stating the Tigers are going to win and only talking about one pitcher, Verlander. Yes, he is absolutely amazing, but ask the Royals (Grienke), Mariners (King Felix), and the Blue Jays when they had Halladay how well relying on one pitcher works out, especially in the playoffs when a pitcher can pitch a max of 3 games on minimum rest. If anyone is going to win in the NL, it is going to be the Braves or Phillies. Being from the south and a die hard Braves fan, it is going to be the Braves over the Phillies in the NL Championship series. Our pitching is great even while using 3 rookies in the rotation in Minor, Beachy, Terrehan (not including Kimbrel and Venters). The Braves have been known to choke in the playoffs, which is a concern. However, the Braves are too deep to not lose, as long as Brooks Conrad only steps foot into the batter’s box and not the field.

I agree. But we’ll only get there if Dan Uggla starts to come around….they have to make a move with him sometime, bench him for a few days, send him down to the minors etc… I don’t care what they do they just need to do something. Its almost the All Star break and the guy is still only hitting .180. I’m willing to bet we would easily be in first place right now if he was tearing shit up like he did in Florida.

Yankees… I was born and raised in the south and have been a fan since I was 5 years old when I went to my first game, so try and keep the “geed” and “northerner” insults to a minimum. Fratlanta Falcons, they may be the frattiest behind the Texas Rangers, but to call them the “best” could not be farther from the truth.

How are you a yankees fan from the south, must have used their championships to base your choice off of.

Boston Red Sox, born and raised. A bunch of real men, unlike the Yankees. Who are a bunch of pretty boys. The Bo Sox would destroy the Yankees any day in a bar fight.

Boston is pathetic, learn how to close out a series. Babe, Bucky, Buckner, Boone

Um, did Boston not win in ’04 and ’07. Last time I checked they did.

And we smoked the Yankees who didn’t close out the series…. Gen Ike Eisenfrater is from the South, but has been a Yankees fan his whole life so it’s cool. He loves Jeter and A-rods girls as well, because Madonna is such a smokeshow these days. Boston, city of champions

NL West – San Fran (Weak divison but stil the best team in the west)
NL Central – Brewers (Tough one to call, but with Puljos out for the near future this may be a two horse race between the Brewers and Reds)
NL East — Philadelphia (Best record in baseball as of Friday June 24th, lacking a right handed bat, but Hamles, Lee, and Halladay give this team a chance to win every time they take the hill)
NL WildCard – Braves (Uggla will start hitting, just need to stay healthy)

AL West – Rangers (Again tough call, but I think they are the best team out there)
AL Central – Detriot (This divison is a mess, I don’t think the tribe can stay in front all year, but who the hell knows)
AL East – Red Sox (Best team in baseball? If they can stay healthy, but pitching could become an issue)
AL Wildcard – Yankees (Just like the Phillies and the Braves, the two best teams in the AL will come from the same divison)

In Short I’m seeing a Braves Red Sox Series (Sorry Phillies, where are the bats in October?) With the Sox winning in Six.

I agree with everything you said but the NL Central. As much as I hate to say anything good about the Cardinals but they will still make a strong run for the division. The Brewers are a very solid team, and the Reds pitching staff just isn’t as good as it was a year ago to come close to really making a full run in late September.

Best stadium to drink in is Wrigley’s Bleachers. Just doesn’t compare to anywhere else I have been. It’s the Frat castle that has stayed in tack for almost a 100 years.

NL West – San Fran (Weak divison but stil the best team in the west)
NL Central – Brewers (Tough one to call, but with Puljos out for the near future this may be a two horse race between the Brewers and Reds)
NL East — Philadelphia (Best record in baseball as of Friday June 24th, lacking a right handed bat, but Hamles, Lee, and Halladay give this team a chance to win every time they take the hill)
NL WildCard – Braves (Uggla will start hitting, just need to stay healthy)

AL West – Rangers (Again tough call, but I think they are the best team out there)
AL Central – Detriot (This divison is a mess, I don’t think the tribe can stay in front all year, but who the hell knows)
AL East – Red Sox (Best team in baseball? If they can stay healthy, but pitching could become an issue)
AL Wildcard – Yankees (Just like the Phillies and the Braves, the two best teams in the AL will come from the same divison)

In Short I’m seeing a Braves Red Sox Series (Sorry Phillies, where are the bats in October?) With the Sox winning in Six.

I agree with everything you said but the NL Central. As much as I hate to say anything good about the Cardinals but they will still make a strong run for the division. The Brewers are a very solid team, and the Reds pitching staff just isn’t as good as it was a year ago to come close to really making a full run in late September.

Best stadium to drink in is Wrigley’s Bleachers. Just doesn’t compare to anywhere else I have been. It’s the Frat castle that has stayed in tack for almost a 100 years.

I don’t know man, I agree with what the first guy said, the Brewers have the best shot at winning the division. The Cards have Albert Pujols and he’s in a contract year so you know he will start hitting the cover off the ball once he comes off the DL. But you forgot they lost Adam Wainright for the season and they can’t seem to find a legitimate closer, not to mention they have a notoriously weak bullpen. The brew crew are in better shape with the Braun/Fielder duo, not to mention they got John Axford who’s been pretty solid at closer.

Yankees… I was born and raised in the south and have been a fan since I was 5 years old when I went to my first game, so try and keep the “geed” and “northerner” insults to a minimum. Fratlanta Falcons, they may be the frattiest behind the Texas Rangers, but to call them the “best” could not be farther from the truth.

Detroit all day. Just moved into first place and don’t plan on looking back. Verlander is top 5 in the league and is getting hot, offense all over the batting order, including Miguel “Do you know who the fuck I am?” Cabrera. With Minnesota and Shitcago at the bottom and KC being average, I like our chances with a Cleveland/Detroit race for the AL Central title. I think another trip to the World Series is in order.

Just imagine when the Sox are totally healthy. Pedroia has a bad knee, Youk has been sore lately, JD Drew is terrible, We only have 3.5 starting pitchers, and our bullpen is shaky, but yet, we are dominating lately. Just imagine if everything is in place.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Uggla, yes. But Heyward’s issue isn’t him bieng hurt, but him being a bitch about it. It’s like Chipper said: “Heyward at 80% is better than most people at 100%. Heyward COULD be playing. He’s just being a diva about this, and it’s going to be a big problem for him if he (assumedly) tries to move to a DH position for an AL team down the road.

And on the issue of our pitching staff, we have the lowest ERA in the Major Leagues. We have a kid who just came out of Huntsville, AL and can destroy a ninth inning, provided he can get a little time to recover. The O’VentBrel trio is possibly THE most dangerous relief setup in baseball. Johnny Venters has a .44 ERA with 40 2/3 innings this season, and can hold his own as a closer too. If you think pitching is our biggest issue, you don’t understand baseball. We swept the marlins with 7 RBIs. THAT’S our biggest issue.

Well said, that has been our problem is leaving all these men on base and not hitting a ball when it fucking counts. It’s been an issue for awhile, proved me wrong well done.

With all that being said I do agree with Dave that we have a solid bullpen, but we should try to trade for another reliever. George Sherrill and Scott Linebrink have not lived up to the hype they generated once they were signed this offseason. I say we trade McLouth for a middle reliever. While you may think I am crazy just bear with me on this one. We have Jordan Schafer who is living up to the billing he got 3 years ago as the Braves #1 prospect. He’s not a big power hitter who’s going to smack 30+ homers every year but he gets on, plays smart baseball and steals bases. Yes, he steals bases, something the Braves are almost dead last in every season. While he might not play as good as defense as McLouth, his bat has been more efficient and he has proven that he plays hard. We probably won’t get much from McLouth, so a middle reliever would be the best option for us to go after. While yes, O’Flaherty, Kimbrel and Venters are as good as you can get in MLB, you can’t expect them to pitch every game, and then to help lead us in the postseason. We need another reliever to pitch the 7th or 8th if either of those guys are gassed. Martinez, Proctor(who shouldn’t even be in the big leagues but is because of a clause in his contract) Sherill, Linebrink and Gearrin are good relievers, they have shown they can be wildly inconsistent this season. We need one more person whose capable of pitching the 7th inning or later in a tight game because like I said, you can’t rely on the O’VentBrel trio to pitch in every game and not wear their arms out by the time October rolls around.

Secondly, yes Heyward is being a pussy and not coming back from his injury sooner, which until the Houston series, seemed like was a really poor decision due to the lack of our offensive struggles, you have to acknowledge his maturity. Remember last season when he had a red hot April and everyone assumed he was a lock for the NL ROY, and then May rolled around and he went into a Dan Uggla-like slump and no one could figure out why, until he disclosed that he had been trying to play through a thumb injury? While, yes I do agree with Chipper that in the big leagues, and in every sport out there, you will have to play injured at some point (Just ask Cal Ripken) I also admire the fact that Heyward was thinking of last year and wanted to return later so he didn’t end up making the same mistake and hurting the team again.

Lastly, if our bullpen stays hot, Dan Uggla returns to his Miami form, Heyward comes back, Chipper and Mac continue their tears, and Hudson and Lowe regain their consistency they had in 2010, we should win the NL this year.

Fuck the Phillies. They may have a great rotation but we have the better all around lineup and bullpen

I agree wholeheartedly. The only thing about trading McLouth is we tend to not get rid of people when they have to go down due to injury. Schaffer is obviously the better bat, and I would argue he’s doing as well as McLouth in the outfield. Another reliever is needed though, cause I sort of forget how inconsistent the rest of the bullpen is, since we almost never see them, as close as our games are. I think the need for another strong reliever was shown last night. Also, we need to find a strong Utility Infielder to come in when people like Gonzales and Chipper need a night off. Hicks just ain’t cutting it, and God knows Conrad doesn’t need to put a glove on.

Phillies are the best! They have the best pitching lineup in the MLB. Also, the Yankees are trash.

sorryimnotsorry52 get back to the kitchen

first its called a pitching staff(rotation + bullpen). look at ERA or any of the advance statistics and the braves have the better one. Jurjens leads the NL in era, Venters is the best reliever in baseball right now. Phillies have names but Oswalt is done with his back being a problem. Lee was in the minors 3 years ago because of problems with his mechanics.

Nice try thou, can I have some peach cobbler when you get back to your rightful place.

If Uggla could start hitting some balls and Heyward could stay healthy and consistent the Braves could be serious contenders. That being said I believe that once our bullpen recovers from the loss of Wagner we will have a solid pitching squad which I feel is our biggest problem. Not as big as the Phillies (who can go to hell by the way) but if you can get a consistent group of players you can beat a team of superstars (Mavs vs Heat even though they are different sports). Go Braves

Yankees girl. They’re slumping a little so far but once the pitching staff and bull pen gets better they can go pretty far. World series? maybe not, definitely ALCS though, the red sox will crash if they’re peeking now..see ya sox. Definitely see a return of the Giants and Phillies.

It’s sad how some people are stating the Tigers are going to win and only talking about one pitcher, Verlander. Yes, he is absolutely amazing, but ask the Royals (Grienke), Mariners (King Felix), and the Blue Jays when they had Halladay how well relying on one pitcher works out, especially in the playoffs when a pitcher can pitch a max of 3 games on minimum rest. If anyone is going to win in the NL, it is going to be the Braves or Phillies. Being from the south and a die hard Braves fan, it is going to be the Braves over the Phillies in the NL Championship series. Our pitching is great even while using 3 rookies in the rotation in Minor, Beachy, Terrehan (not including Kimbrel and Venters). The Braves have been known to choke in the playoffs, which is a concern. However, the Braves are too deep to not lose, as long as Brooks Conrad only steps foot into the batter’s box and not the field.